Understanding how bladder cancer spreads
Official title: Investigating mechanisms of bladder cancer metastasis
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-10931503 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how bladder cancer spreads in the body, especially in patients with advanced stages of the disease, using special mouse models to find out what causes this spread and to discover new treatments that might help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $516,846 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA283068-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10931503 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with bladder cancer, particularly those with advanced or metastatic forms of the disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage bladder cancer or those without a diagnosis of bladder cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the mechanisms behind the spread of bladder cancer, particularly focusing on metastatic bladder cancer (mMIBC), which is a leading cause of death in patients. The team has developed advanced genetically-engineered mouse models that mimic human disease, allowing for in-depth study of how bladder cancer metastasizes. By using these models, researchers aim to identify key biological factors that drive metastasis and to discover potential drug treatments that could target these factors effectively.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that significantly improve survival rates for patients with metastatic bladder cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using genetically-engineered models to study cancer metastasis, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abate-Shen, Cory — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Abate-Shen, Cory
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how bladder cancer spreads and how to stop it
This grant studies why bladder cancer spreads to other parts of the body and uses mouse models to test new ideas for stopping metastasis.
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How bladder cancer spreads
Researchers are using new mouse models and computer analysis to find the molecular switches that make bladder cancer spread, with the goal of helping people with advanced bladder cancer.
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Investigating chimeric RNAs in bladder cancer metastasis
This study is looking at how certain RNA changes in bladder cancer might help the cancer spread through the lymph nodes, with the hope of finding new ways to diagnose and treat patients facing this tough disease.
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Lymph node metastasis and immune tolerance in head and neck cancer
A study in people with head and neck cancer looks at how cancer spread to lymph nodes may shape the immune system and help tumors grow.
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Targeting how RMS cells fail to mature to slow or stop pediatric muscle cancer spread
A project to understand why a pediatric muscle cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma spreads, and to test ideas that could slow or stop it by helping cancer cells mature properly.
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Centers studying how cancer spreads through the body
A multi-institutional project at Rockefeller University is exploring how nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, immune cells, and metabolites influence the spread of cancer to help identify new ways to stop metastasis.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.